Envelope



Nov; 10, 1936. L JR ENVELOPE Filed Dec. 20 1935 i ATTCQTSEY.

Patented Nov. 10, 1936 PATENT OFFICE ENVELOPE Albert Walton, Jr., Springfield, Mass., assignor to Old Colony Envelope Company, Westfield,

Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 20, 1935, Serial No. 55,439

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in envelopes and is directed more particularly to envelopes of the so-called safety type.

The principal objects of the invention are directed to the provision of an envelope which may be firmly sealed and which will readily reveal any attempts at tampering with the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide an envelope of the so-called self-sealing type 10 having sealing adhesive of the type which does not require moistening but which adheres to itself. Preferably the adhesive does not stick to paper itself but is of such a nature that it sticks to the same adhesive substance upon contact 15 therewith.

According to special features of the invention, the envelope is not only a safety envelope which cannot be opened without material damage to the envelope so that attempts to tamper with it are 20 readily detected, but the novel safety feature is closely associated with the self-sealing feature so that economy in manufacture is facilitated.

Various other novel features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent after 25 a reading of the following description of the present preferred form thereof, and reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an envelope embodying the features of the invention with the parts shown in unsealed relation; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same envelope with the parts shown in sealed relation.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, 35 the invention will be fully described.

An envelope has a front portion or wall memher 2 which may take any form or size desired. Extending inwardly from opposite sides of the front wall 2 are end flaps 4 and these preferably 40 have their inner adjacent marginal edge portions 5 overlapping slightly as shown. If desired, these parts 5 may be secured in this overlapped relation by a suitable adhesive.

What may be called a back wall member 6 45 extends upwardly from the lower marginal edge of the front wall member 2 and this preferably overlaps the lower part, at least, of the end flaps 4. There is provided on the outer surface of this back wall 6 an adhesive area a of a nature 5 soon to be described and this is preferably located adjacent its upper marginal edge as shown for a purpose which will presently appear.

Hingedly connected to and extending from the upper marginal edge of the front wall 2 is what 55 may be called a cover member l2. This member I2 is arranged to be folded downwardly as along a line M to overlie the open end of the pocket formed by the parts 2, 4 and 6. A longitudinally-extending tab-receiving slit I6 is provided in the part I2 and this is adapted to receive a flap 8 which will now be described.

A tab or flap member 8 is hinged to the upper marginal edge of the wall 6 as along a line It). This is preferably centrally disposed relative to the member 6, as is the area a, and preferably 10 of substantially the same size as the area a.

There is provided on the flap 8 adhesive a which may be of the self-sealing type, similar to the adhesive a on the wall 6, if desired. In any event, the adhesive substances a on parts 6 and 8 are preferably of the type which do not require moistening, but which adhere to themselves on contact.

Suitable substances which may be used as a self-sealing adhesive are latex, a solution of rubber and gasoline, or the like. Such substances when used have the property of causing two surfaces bearing the same to adhere to one another without the necessity of moistening. With such an adhesive it will be seen that when the part 8 is folded downwardly along the line [0 into contact with area a of wall 6, they adhere to one another.

It will be noted that with the construction of this invention, the adhesive surfaces at are out of contact when the part 8 is in the extended position shown in Fig. 1 so that they are not apt to stick together prematurely. Also, the adhesive substances may be of the type which do not adhere to paper itself so that the flap l2 may be folded downwardly over the extended part 8 without danger of sticking and then the envelopes may be packed and shipped in the usual way.

It will also be noted that the area a or the part B is adjacent the area a on the part 8. According to the preferred form of the invention, the envelope is formed of a single blank with the part 8 integral with the Wall 6. Thus the adhesive areas a may be applied at the same time and to the same side of the paper so that economy in manufacture results.

When it is desired to seal the envelope, the cover member l2 may be folded downwardly along the line 14 and the flap 8 inserted in slit l6 there- 5 of. Then part l2 may be caused to lie flat against the back of the envelope and flap 8 may be folded downwardly along line ID to overlap the lower part of member l2 (see Fig. 2) and become adhesively secured to area a on wall 6. 5

It will be seen that the lower marginal edge portion of closure member I2 is retained between the two adhesive surfaces. Thus, it is not possible to open the envelope without rupturing the lower marginal edge portion of the part l2 since the same is more or less firmly caught in a loop formed by the stuck-together back wall of the envelope and the flap 8.

In addition to the adhesive mentioned, other adhesives indicated by g and g may be applied to flap 12 and/or the back of the envelope. This may be of the type requiring moistening and facilitates further sealing of the envelope.

While I have described the invention in great detail and with respect to a preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto since many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, an envelope of the self-sealing type comprising in combination, a front portion, end and back flaps hinged to said front portion and extending inwardly in overlapping relation adjacent the back face of said front portion to form a back portion, an auxiliary sealing flap member hinged to said back portion for swinging between an extended nonsealing position and a folded-down sealing position overlying a certain part of said back portion, areas of adhesive on said flap member and on said certain part of the back portion, said adhesive being of the type which is adapted to adhere to itself without adhering to the envelope material, the said adhesive areas being arranged to register with one another when the auxiliary flap member is swung into sealing position, and a closure flap hinged to said front portion for swinging between an extended non-closing position and a folded-down sealing position and provided with a slot for receiving said auxiliary flap member when in its said closing position, all adapted and arranged whereby said closure flap and auxiliary flap member may be simultaneously swung into closing and sealing positions respectively with the flap member extending through the slot thereof and its adhesive area caused to adhere to the adhesive area of the back portion.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an envelope comprising in combination, a front portion, end flaps hinged to the opposite marginal side edges of said front portion and extending inwardly in overlapping relation adjacent the back face of said front portion, a back flap extending upwardly from the lower marginal edge of said front portion and overlying said end flaps, a safety flap hinged to the upper marginal edge of said back flap and foldable downwardly along said edge so as to overlie a certain part of the back flap, a closing flap hinged to the upper marginal edge of said front portion and foldable downwardly along said edge so as to overlie the upper parts of said end flaps, said closing flap being of such size as to have its outer marginal edge disposed below said upper marginal edge of the back flap when the closing flap overlies the upper parts of said end flaps and being provided with a slot at a distance from its said outermost marginal edge for receiving said safety flap, and adhesive sub stance on said safety flap and on said certain part of the back flap, the adhesive substance on said safety flap being adapted to adhere to the adhesive substance on the back flap upon contact therewith, all adapted and arranged whereby said safety flap may be inserted through said slot of the closing flap and folded downwardly along said marginal edge of the back flap and secured to said certain part of the back flap.

ALBERT WALTON, JR. 

